Image: Namibia Fact Check / Facebook
A viral Facebook post falsely claims that Namibia has banned lesbianism, with anyone caught ‘in the act’ facing three months in jail.
The post, which was posted on 2 September 2025 to a Facebook page called Afrocania, states:
Breaking News!
Namibia just ban Lesbianism, anyone caught in the act would be face 3 months in jail.
According to the Presido and Point One Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah:
“Namibia, with a population of approximately 51.16% women (about 1.35 million) and 48.84% men (about 1.26 million), is led by women. My government believes that any attempt to prevent men from fulfilling their natural roles, which contribute to societal balance in reproduction is inhumane, and we will not support such measures. Men must be allowed to carry out their responsibilities without interference.
Men must be allowed to give the women joy and keep us happy!
Men have to do their duty always, do not rob them off that!”
The viral false post has accumulated over 11,000 reactions, more than 1,700 comments, and over 1,000 shares. (See image below)
The Facts
No law banning lesbianism exists in Namibia
On 21 June 2024, the High Court of Namibia actually made a landmark ruling that decriminalised same-sex sexual conduct between men in the case of Dausab v The Minister of Justice and this decision struck down two pre-independence apartheid-era laws that had been used to criminalise sodomy and “unnatural sexual offenses”.
There has never been a specific law in Namibia criminalising sexual acts between women, so a “ban on lesbianism” is a non-existent concept in the country’s legal history.
Although the Namibian government lodged an appeal against the High Court ruling of Dausab v The Minister of Justice in July 2024, this did not introduce new laws against same-sex sexual relations. Importantly, in March 2025, former President Nangolo Mbumba, citing constitutional concerns, refused to sign into law controversial the anti-LGBTQ bills that had been passed in the Namibian parliament.
No credible record of statements
There is no evidence from the Office of the Namibian Presidency, Namibian press, government communications, or international media that President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah made the comments attributed to her in the viral Facebook post. The language used, such as “Men must be allowed to give the women joy and keep us happy!” is inflammatory, sensationalist and inconsistent with the formal tone of official government communications.
Our Verdict
The claim that Namibia has banned lesbianism in any sense is patently unsubstantiated and FALSE.